BILL NUMBER: AB 913	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 31, 2011

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Feuer

                        FEBRUARY 17, 2011

    An act relating to the environment.   An act
to amend Section 251244.17 of the Health and Safety Code, relating
to hazardous waste. 



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 913, as amended, Feuer.  Environment:  
Hazardous waste: source reduction:  certified green business
program. 
   The existing Hazardous Waste Source Reduction and Management
Review Act of 1989 requires the Department of Toxic Substances
Control to establish a program for hazardous waste source reduction,
including requiring specified generators of hazardous waste to
maintain certain plans and reports with regard to hazardous waste
reduction practices. The department is required to provide source
reduction training and resources to various regional and local
government assistance programs to identify and apply source reduction
methods.  
   This bill would require the department, as part of implementing
this program, to develop a California Green Business Program that
provides for the voluntary certification of businesses that adopt
environmentally preferable business practices, including, but not
limited to, increased energy efficiency, reduced greenhouse gas
emissions, promotion of water conservation, and reduced waste
generation. The department would be required to take specified
actions with regard to implementing the California Green Business
Program.  
   Existing law establishes various programs to reduce waste and
protect the environment.  
   This bill would declare the intent of the Legislature to enact
legislation to establish a program to provide for the voluntary
certification of businesses that adopt environmentally preferable
business practices. 
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:  no
  yes  . State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   SECTION 1.    The Legislature finds and declares all
of the following:  
   (a) The California Green Business Program is a statewide network
of local government programs that certify small- to medium-sized
businesses as having adopted environmentally preferable business
practices.  
   (b) These local government programs coordinate with other programs
in their jurisdictions to assist businesses with achieving and
moving beyond regulatory compliance.  
   (c) Businesses certified by this program implement multimedia
pollution prevention activities to achieve measurable waste
reduction, energy savings, water conservation, and sustainability, in
consultation with local governments, utility providers, and other
entities.  
   (d) The California Green Business Program promotes improved
community health outcomes, economic vitality, sustainability, and
green jobs.  
   (e) The California Green Business Program provides small
businesses with a level and quality of consultation on
environmentally preferable business practices that small businesses
otherwise may have limited access.  
   (f) The California Green Business Program can save businesses
money through coordinating with funding opportunities for efficiency
upgrades and long-term savings associated with decreased utility
bills.  
   (g) The Department of Toxic Substances Control serves as a
statewide program contact, coordinator, and liaison with other state
agencies, consistent with subdivision (h) of Section 25244.13 of the
Health and Safety Code.  
   (h) In California there are currently 14 county and two city green
business programs, which have together certified over 2,600 green
businesses. 
   SEC. 2.   Section 25244.17.2 of the   Health
and Safety Code   is amended to read: 
   25244.17.2.  The department shall expand the department's source
reduction program to provide source reduction training and resources
to CUPAs, small business development corporations, business
environmental assistance centers, and other regional and local
government environmental programs so that they can provide technical
assistance to generators in identifying and applying methods of
source reduction.
   (a) The program expanded pursuant to this section shall emphasize
activities necessary to implement Sections 25244.17 and 25244.17.1.

   (b) As part of implementing the program required by this section,
the department shall develop a California Green Business Program that
provides for the voluntary certification of businesses that adopt
environmentally preferable business practices, including, but not
limited to, increased energy efficiency, reduced greenhouse gas
emissions, promotion of water conservation, and reduced waste
generation. The department's California Green Business Program shall
do all of the following:  
   (1) Assist the network of statewide local government programs in
implementing guidelines and structures that establish and promote a
level of consistency among green business programs across the state.
 
   (2) Support, through staffing and contracts, the development and
maintenance of a statewide database to register businesses and track
measurable pollution reductions and cost savings.  
   (3) Solicit participation of additional local programs and
facilitate the startup of new local programs.  
   (4) Develop technical guidance on pollution prevention measures,
conduct industry studies and pilot projects, and provide policy
coordination for the participating local programs.  
   (b) 
    (c)  The department shall determine, in consultation
with the advisory committee, the most effective methods to promote
implementation of source reduction education programs by CUPAs, small
business development corporations, business environmental assistance
centers, and other regional and local government environmental
programs. Program elements may include, but are not limited to, all
of the following:
   (1) Sponsoring workshops, conferences, technology fairs, and other
training events.
   (2) Sponsoring regional training groups, such as the regional
hazardous waste reduction committees.
   (3) Developing and distributing educational materials, such as
short descriptions of successful source reduction projects and
materials explaining how source reduction has been used by businesses
to achieve compliance with environmental laws enforced by local
governments.
   (4) Developing site review checklists, training manuals, and
technical resource manuals and using those resources to train CUPAs,
small business development corporations, business environmental
assistance centers, and other regional and local government
environmental programs.
   (5) Preparing and distributing resource lists such as lists of
vendors, consultants, or providers of financial assistance for source
reduction projects.
   (6) Serving as an information clearinghouse to support telephone
and onsite consultants with local governments. 
   (c) The department shall coordinate activities under this section
with grants made under Section 25244.11.5. 
   (d) Each fiscal year, the department shall provide training and
information resources to at least 90 percent of CUPAs. 
  SECTION 1.    It is the intent of the Legislature
to enact subsequent legislation that would establish a California
certified green business program that would provide for the voluntary
certification of businesses that adopt environmentally preferable
business practices including, but not limited to, increased energy
efficiency, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and reduced waste
generation.